Cop's anguish after being spat at on the face

A FEMALE police officer has told of her distress after a woman spat in her face while she was on duty.

The constable, who declined to be named, now faces six months of tests to ensure she has not contracted a communicable disease.

The constable is just one example of police officers who are assaulted while they are on the job across the Fraser Coast.

Figures from the Queensland Police Service show 68 police officers were assaulted while on duty in Hervey Bay and Maryborough in the past 12 months.

That is more than one officer assaulted each week.

The officer told the Chronicle she was taking a woman to the mental health unit while on duty on Saturday, November 14.

While she and her partner were doing so, the woman turned and spat in the officer's face.

"I had to have a blood test and an eye irrigation," she said.

The officer will be tested again in three and six months.

"People see it as their right to be as disrespectful to police as they would like," she said.

"We are not out to wreck anyone's day, just do our job."

Maryborough Patrol Group Inspector Paul Biggin said spitting in the face was often seen as the worst type of assault towards police officers due to the long wait to receive test results.

"Spitting is one of the most disgusting and despicable acts, especially when they are spat at in the face," he said.

Insp Biggen said any assault on police officers was something the service took very seriously.

"Everyone wants to go home at the end of their shift to their families and friends safely," he said.

"Unfortunately, this is not always the case."

Insp Biggin said officers were trained in the best communications and diffusion techniques but unfortunately they were assaulted in the course of their work while protecting the public.

"Drugs, alcohol, domestic violence and society's pressures can all be triggers to increased aggression towards police from members of the public when officers are called to deal with incidents," he said.

Insp Biggen said police worked closed with members of the Liquor Accords to ensure safe environments for all patrons and police.